serpentine

¹

[ sur-puhn-teen, -tahyn ]

adjective

1. of, characteristic of, or resembling a serpent, as in form or movement.
2. having a winding course, as a road; sinuous.

   Synonyms: tortuous, twisting

3. shrewd, wily, or cunning.

noun

1. a device on a harquebus lock for holding the match.
2. a cannon having any of various bore sizes, used from the 15th to the 17th century.
3. Skating. a school figure made by skating two figure eights that share one loop.

verb (used without object)

, ser·pen·tined, ser·pen·tin·ing.

1. to make or follow a winding course:

   The stream serpentines through the valley.

serpentine

²

[ sur-puhn-teen, -tahyn ]

noun

1. a common mineral, hydrous magnesium silicate, H 2 Mg 3 Si 2 O 2 , usually oily green and sometimes spotted, occurring in many varieties: used for architectural and decorative purposes.

serpentine

¹

/ ˈsɜːpənˌtaɪn /

noun

1. a dark green or brown mineral with a greasy or silky lustre, found in igneous and metamorphic rocks. It is used as an ornamental stone; and one variety (chrysotile) is known as asbestos. Composition: hydrated magnesium silicate. Formula: Mg 3 Si 2 O 5 (OH) 4 . Crystal structure: monoclinic
2. any of a group of minerals having the general formula (Mg,Fe) 3 Si 2 O 5 (OH) 4

serpentine

²

/ ˈsɜːpənˌtaɪn /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or resembling a serpent
2. twisting; winding

noun

1. maths a curve that is symmetric about the origin of and asymptotic to the x -axis

serpentine

/ sûr′pən-tēn′,-tīn′ /

1. Any of a group of greenish, brownish, or yellowish monoclinic minerals, occurring in igneous or metamorphic rocks. They are used as a source of magnesium and asbestos. Chemical formula: (Mg,Fe) 3 Si 2 O 5 (OH) 4 .

Word History and Origins

Origin of serpentine¹

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English (adjective) from Old French serpentin, serpentine and Latin serpentīnus “snakelike”; Serpens, -ine ¹( def )

Origin of serpentine²

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English serpentin(e), from Old French serpentine and Medieval Latin serpentīnum (neuter) and serpentīna (feminine), noun use of neuter of serpentīnus serpentine ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of serpentine¹

C15 serpentyn, from Medieval Latin serpentīnum serpentine ¹; referring to the snakelike patterns of these minerals

Origin of serpentine²

C14: from Late Latin serpentīnus, from serpēns serpent

Example Sentences

“Second life” is used often in this space, but it’s really one long, serpentine timeline.

From Los Angeles Times

A Dodgers clubhouse attendant swooped in and deftly collected the serpentine intruder in a towel.

From Los Angeles Times

Without a word, he whisked me past a serpentine of travelers and straight to the metal detector.

From Los Angeles Times

Using drought-resistant plants and some native grasses, the designers created an intimate, pollinator-friendly garden with a serpentine path of repurposed flagstone running through it.

From Seattle Times

Now they want to turn the Miami Grand Prix, the Formula 1 race being held on a serpentine racetrack around the stadium on Sunday, into appointment viewing like the Kentucky Derby and the Masters are.

From New York Times

Related Words

• artful
• circuitous
• convoluted
• curved
• meandering
• sinuous
• twisting